OSHA Addresses False Claims of N95 Ineffectiveness

OSHA has updated its website to address incorrect claims that N95 respirators do not capture particles as small as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The agency stresses that N95 respirators are effective at protecting users from coronavirus exposure when used correctly, as explained in a new section on respirators and particle size on OSHA’s COVID-19 frequently asked questions page.

According to OSHA, false claims about the respirators’ effectiveness emphasize the virus’s small size of approximately 0.1 micron in diameter. However, viruses are typically carried by particles that approach 0.3 micron— 95 percent of which the N95 design successfully filters out, when worn correctly.

“The N95 respirator filter, as is true for other NIOSH-approved respirators, is very effective at protecting people from the virus causing COVID-19,” OSHA states.

Further information and resources from OSHA about COVID-19 are collected on the agency’s website.